How to Rent a Cambodia Motorcycle
Many tourists love exploring South-East Asian countries on motorcycles and one of the countries that are most popular amongst bikers is Cambodia. This relatively unexplored South-East Asian country is slowly but surely opening itself up to tourism and every year, the number of tourists and travellers in the country is increasing significantly. If you want to know about Cambodia motorcycle rentals, then you have come to the right place.Over the course of this blog, we will explore the available possibilities for motorcycle rentals. We will also look at the precautionary measures you have to take to avoid fines and penalties and most importantly, to keep the bike and yourself safe.
The Options
There are two ways to rent a motorcycle in Cambodia:• Rent from a local
• Rent from a foreign business
Renting from a local has its financial advantages. A motorcycle rental from a local is cheap. However, there are quite a few disadvantages as well. On the safety front, locals provide no insurance whatsoever. That means once you rent a motorcycle from a local, the bike’s responsibilities lie firmly on your shoulders. If anything happens to you or the motorbike, the locals will not help you in any way.
The other option is to rent a motorcycle from a business run by foreigners. You will find plenty of such businesses in the capital Phnom Penh and the country’s other major city, Siem Reap. However, renting from such a business would mean shelling out more money. Thankfully though, this sort of bike rental would come with appropriate insurance and quality customer care as well.
If you are an international tourist, renting a Cambodia motorcycle often means handing over your passport to the renter. The renters are awfully paranoid of situations like tourists stealing their motorcycles or not paying for the damages. Trust them with your passport, as they will not damage it in any way. If you feel that you might need it later on in your trip, keep several photocopies of it with you.
Permits
Drivers driving motor vehicles in Cambodia need a Cambodian permit. International tourists getaway most of the time with an international permit as well, but strictly speaking, that’s not legal. So it’s best to get a national permit if you plan to take your motorcycle around the entire country.Tips to Make Your Cambodia Motorcycling Experience Smoother
It’s Best to Ride Alone in Cambodia:
Cambodia is a developing country and its roads are proof of that. Most roads in the country, even in the most developed areas in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, are not up to international standards. The roads are extremely congested, narrow, and dusty, especially in the rural areas and outskirts of cities.
That’s why it would be in your best interest to not take any pillion rider along. It sometimes gets difficult even for a person riding by himself, so you can imagine the problems that may happen with two people on the motorcycle.
Rent a Honda, Give the Other Brands a Miss:
While Cambodia motorcycle rental businesses have a limited variety of brands and models to choose from, it’s best if you rent a Honda motorcycle. Honda is the most popular motorcycle brand in the country, which makes spare parts easy to find.
So in case you do damage any part of the motorcycle in a remote area of the country, you can still hope to find the right spare parts to keep you going.
Get a Helmet Positively:
Even though wearing helmets is the norm and absolutely mandatory in certain countries, it’s surprising to see most Cambodians riding motorcycles on the chaotic and congested roads without one.
Don’t let the locals be your role models in this regard and be sure to have a quality helmet before you set off on your Cambodia motorcycle trip. A lot of tourists make the mistake of riding around without helmets, only to be caught by the police to be fined later on.
Keep Honking:
Honking is considered offensive in many developed countries around the world. However, in Cambodia, honking is the norm. Honk every time you make a turn, overtake, or do anything risky. It’s best not to zigzag too much, especially in the congested areas of the cities, as accidents may take place.
Gear Up for Dust, Rain and Sun:
On sunny days, riding on Cambodia motorcycle can be incredibly tough as it is dusty and the sun’s rays can feel absolutely skin-charring. On such days, you should apply a decent amount of sunscreen before heading out on your motorcycle. Chances of tropical rains also stay high, which makes raincoats and rain covers for your bags important as well.
Carry a Map:
As soon as you leave the cities and head towards the country’s rural areas, you are bound to lose all mobile connectivity. To brace yourself for such situations, it’s important to carry a proper paper map. Even though locals try to be helpful in case you get lost, most of them don’t know any language apart from Khmer, which makes communication quite futile.
Exploring Cambodia on a motorcycle is truly magical, but only if you take certain precautions. If you are planning for a Cambodia motorcycle trip soon, then we wish you all the luck in the world!